Phil Parker is a wine writer and operates Fine Wine
& Food Tours in Auckland. See: www.finewinetours.co.nz
Phil’s new cellar door book ‘NZ Wine Regions – A
Visitor’s Guide’ is now available on Amazon Kindle
Two weeks ago, West Auckland’s Kumeu River
winery released its 2014 vintage line-up at The French Café. I love my job. The
wines were superb as were the matched food pairings.
Kumeu River is an iconic New Zealand chardonnay
producer. The winery was established in 1944 by the late Maté Brajkovich. Their
chardonnay is listed in the top 100 by the influential US Wine Spectator
magazine. Maté’s widow, the dynamic Melba, heads this family winery. Eldest son
Michael is winemaker. Sons Milan and Paul are respectively in charge of
viticulture and sales and marketing, and daughter Marijana is in charge of
accounting.
2014 was a very good year for grape growing
in Kumeu, with good fruit volumes and a hot, dry extended summer that allowed
the fruit to be picked at optimum ripeness and quality. As Michael says in his notes, “…the word that
best describes everything about chardonnay in 2014 is generous.”
White wines are their mainstay – chardonnay,
pinot gris and gewürztraminer. They also grow pinot noir and merlot. All grapes
are grown on-site on the sweeping vineyards either side of State Highway 1, or
in managed blocks in west Kumeu. All grapes are hand harvested, plus gentle
whole bunch pressing is used to extract the best juice from their white wines.
The top tier Maté’s Vineyard chardonnay (only 1000 cases per year) comes from the
original vineyard site, directly over the road from the winery and cellar door.
The two other single vineyard chardonnays are the Hunting Hill and Coddington,
with their premium pinot noir also sourced from the Hunting Hill.
( Pic of Michael Brajkovich at the tasting. )
Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2014 $30 NZD
The Estate is a blend from up to 9 vineyards, and is the flagship export wine. Enticing aromas of hazelnut, vanilla, nectarine and honeysuckle open up in the mouth with ripe mandarin, nectarine, white peach and marzipan. Very approachable.
Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay 2014 $50 NZD
Funky yeast aromas with a whiff of minerality and apricot. On the palate it is creamy and seamless with white peach and a medium citrus crisp finish.
Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2014 $60 NZD
Lemon squash and funky yeast on the nose. Complex palate of lime, quince, ripe nectarine and a hint of toastiness, plus some herbal notes.
Kumeu River Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2014 $70 NZD
The premium chardonnay grown on the original block worked by Mate back in 1944, this wine is made from the Mendoza chardonnay clone. It has aromas of mandarin and a hint of brioche yeast. In the mouth it opens up into a fuller palate of toast, mandarin, peach and nectarine with a firm crisp and lengthy finish.
Kumeu River Hunting Hill Pinot Noir 2014 $50 NZD
Emerging as another premium wine, their pinot noir is gaining complexity with each vintage. Smoke, cherry and plum aromas, with a savoury cherry and plum palate. A dry finish with medium firm tannins.
The Estate is a blend from up to 9 vineyards, and is the flagship export wine. Enticing aromas of hazelnut, vanilla, nectarine and honeysuckle open up in the mouth with ripe mandarin, nectarine, white peach and marzipan. Very approachable.
Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay 2014 $50 NZD
Funky yeast aromas with a whiff of minerality and apricot. On the palate it is creamy and seamless with white peach and a medium citrus crisp finish.
Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2014 $60 NZD
Lemon squash and funky yeast on the nose. Complex palate of lime, quince, ripe nectarine and a hint of toastiness, plus some herbal notes.
Kumeu River Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2014 $70 NZD
The premium chardonnay grown on the original block worked by Mate back in 1944, this wine is made from the Mendoza chardonnay clone. It has aromas of mandarin and a hint of brioche yeast. In the mouth it opens up into a fuller palate of toast, mandarin, peach and nectarine with a firm crisp and lengthy finish.
Kumeu River Hunting Hill Pinot Noir 2014 $50 NZD
Emerging as another premium wine, their pinot noir is gaining complexity with each vintage. Smoke, cherry and plum aromas, with a savoury cherry and plum palate. A dry finish with medium firm tannins.
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